More problems with the USCF

Yesterday, I was copied on an email from a MAJOR potential sponsor for the USCF to the USCF President and another member of the USCF Executive Board. Here are some excerpts:

- Please do not have USCF ambassadors call me as I am not interested now, ever, any time after h freezes over talking to you people.
- Do not have Mr. (Joe) Lux call me again.

This is not the first time a potential major sponsor is unhappy or outright angry with the USCF and the USCF EB members for lack of professionalism and business experience. As I continuously said this over and over, why are we sending amateurs to do a professional job? Haven't we learned a lesson with the AF4C debacle? We just lost a sponsor in AF4C which had contributed more than $1 million to organize the US Championship.

This potential sponsor clearly stated in numerous emails to the USCF that he is only interested in negotiating with professional people and he specifically mentioned Paul Truong. He also wanted to sit down and discuss many issues with me, including plans on sponsoring events. He couldn't have made it less clear. All you have to do is read the chess news to see that Paul is successfully obtaining one big deal after another for chess while the USCF is continuing to go the other way.

Knowing this, the USCF is willing to lose a major sponsor instead of asking Paul or me to fly down to Florida to meet this individual. So what was the result? Just as expected: TOTAL FAILURE as you can see from the above excerpts.

Today, I was copied on another email by the reigning US Women's Champion. Here are some parts of this important email:

"At the moment there is no official information from USChess Federation, although, according to some other sources, the female US Championship could start as early as mid-July. As far as I understood, this event is going to be held 16-20th of July, which means we would have to play two rounds a day.

I believe these dates to be unacceptable from every point of view: firstly it is an important event and WCh. Qualification, and secondly, this tough schedule would make my own participation almost impossible (for reasons you are well aware of). Furthermore, it is made clear, that this schedule was partly created to fit into plans of a certain player and exact days were never discussed with other participants.

Another major point I would like to mention is that the idea to give places in World Women Championship from US Men Championship sounds to me both absurd and incorrect; absurd because women have to qualify having played other women; and incorrect, because nothing ofthe kind was initially mentioned in the contracts.

Furthermore, some players would thus get two chances to qualify and others only one. I think it is in everybody’s interests that USCF makes an official statement clarifying all this, so that all the people involved could discuss the situation. I don’t believe that decisions, taken at the last moment, or even, as it happened in 2004 with WCh. Qualifications, after the events, help us to develop chess in USA."

Best regards,
Anna Zatonskih
US Women’s Champion

Instead of doing the job they were elected to do, our chess politicians decided that it is more important to dig into my personal life or viciously attacking other candidates. Instead of doing positive things for US Chess and the USCF, the status quo continues. Instead of asking the most qualified people to help, they endorsed the people in the upcoming election who will help them preserve the status quo. Instead of putting the best interest of US Chess and the USCF first, they play dirty and destructive politics to keep their power.

All you have to do is compare all the candidates to see what each has done for chess in the past 3-5 years or even the past 12 months to know who to vote for. But of course the chess politicians do not want to discuss this real issue. Why? Because their records are not something to brag about. Some even have zero experience in business, management, finance or any other areas to help this federation.

This election is quite clear. If you think that the USCF is in great shape and you are happy with the status quo, vote for the same type of people who dragged this federation down year after year. If you want positive changes, I strongly recommend three other candidates: Mikhail Korenman, Paul Truong and Randy Bauer.

Thank you for your support!